This task has been intiated through the development of essential plant habitat by the HPPRCC and CH designations, but needs to be refined for each species and its full recovery needs.

Final Recovery Plan for Four Species of Hawaiian Ferns

F

1

Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office (808) 792-9400

No common name

Pteris lidgatei

1

13

Ensure long-term protection of habitat

Partially Complete

Prior to FY 1995

Other

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services Division, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, U.S. Department of Defense, National Park Service, Private landowners

This task is complete for the population of Asplenium fragile var. insulare on east Maui, which is within TNCH's Waikamoi Preserve; most of the large population scattered within Pohakuloa Training Area, which is protected through a Biological Opinion with the U.S. Army; and the extant southern Big Island populations are protected within the Olaa-Kilauea Partnership. For Ctenitis squamigera, the west Maui population is within TNCH's Kapunakea preserve; 3 individuals are in Mt. Kaala Natural Area Reserve on Oahu; 3 individuals at Puu Pane within the Schofield Barracks Military Reservation and 4 individuals within Makua Military Reservation are protected under Biological Opinions with the Army; and Castle and Cooke plans to fence the Lanai sites as part of a larger habitat management effort, through a cooperative agreement with ES. Pteris lydgatei is protected in Kawailoa Training Area and Schofield Barracks East Range, where the Army protects it in compliance with a Biological Opinion, and it is also protected within the West Maui Watershed Partnership and Kahakuloa section of West Maui Natural Area Reserve. Diplazium molokaiense is protected within Waikamoi Preserve and two locations within Leeward Haleakala Watershed Restoration Partnership.

Final Recovery Plan for Four Species of Hawaiian Ferns

F

1

Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office (808) 792-9400

No common name

Pteris lidgatei

1

1411

Construct and maintain fencing, wherever possible

Partially Complete

Prior to FY 1995

Other

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services Division, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, U.S. Department of Defense, Private landowners

Management: Habitat Maintenance and Manipulation, Management: Predator and Competitor Control

Volunteer, Contract, Internal Field Assistance

For Asplenium fragile var. insulare Waikamoi Preserve on Maui has been fenced for over a decade and also benefits Diplazium molokaiense, Kapunakea Preserve on West Maui has some strategic fences and more are planned over the next few years, which will also benefit Ctentis squamigera. Mt. Kaala Natural Area Reserve conducts controlled hunting efforts with the Army, which protect Ctentis squamigera. The Army plans to fence the three occurrences in east Makaleha as part of compliance with a Biological Opinion for Makua Military Reservation, and has fenced most of Makua Valley to restrict pig and goat access. In addition, the Army will fence populations of Pteris lydgatei in Kawailoa and Schofield Barracks East Range. Castle and Cooke plans to fence the Lanai Ctentis squamigera sites as part of a larger habitat management effort, through a cooperative agreement with ES. Diplazium molokaiense's other two occurrences are within the Leeward Haleakala Watershed Restoration Partnership, which is still primarily in the planning stages but will include fencing to exclude ungulates. West Maui Watershed Partnership, which includes the West Maui Natural Area Reserve, has constructed some strategic fences and plans more to benefit Pteris lydgatei.

Final Recovery Plan for Four Species of Hawaiian Ferns

F

1

Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office (808) 792-9400

No common name

Pteris lidgatei

1

142

Conduct alien plant control

Ongoing Not Current

FY 1995 - FY 1999

Other

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services Division, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Castle & Cooke, Inc., U.S. Department of Defense, Private landowners

Management: Habitat Maintenance and Manipulation, Management: Predator and Competitor Control

Volunteer, Species Expert, Contract, Internal Field Assistance

Waikamoi Preserve on east Maui and Kapunakea Preserve on west Maui have programs in place controlling the major habitat altering weeds. West Maui Watershed Partnership plans to do the same for most of west Maui. The Army plans to control weeds in east Makaleha and in Schofield Barracks East Range and Kawailoa Training Area as part of compliance with a Biological Opinions for Makua Military Reservation and Oahu training areas. Castle and Cooke plans to control the major habitat altering weeds at the Lanai Ctentis squamigera sites as part of a larger habitat management effort, through a cooperative agreement with ES. Leeward Haleakala Watershed Restoration Partnership plans to control the major habitat altering weeds on leeward Haleakala.

Final Recovery Plan for Four Species of Hawaiian Ferns

F

1

Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office (808) 792-9400

No common name

Pteris lidgatei

1

143

Provide necessary fire protection

Ongoing Not Current

FY 1995 - FY 1999

Other

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services Division, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, U.S. Department of Defense, Private landowners

Management: Habitat Maintenance and Manipulation

Volunteer, Contract, Internal Field Assistance

Fuel management barriers are being constructed in Pohakuloa Training Area to protect Asplenium fragile var. insulare in compliance with a Biological Opinion. Fire management plans have been developed by the Army for Makua Military Reservation, Kawailoa Training Area and Schofield Barracks East Range and are fully implemented for Makua and have started being implemented at the other military sites. Leeward Haleakala Watershed Partnership is including fire management in the plan it is currently developing.

Final Recovery Plan for Four Species of Hawaiian Ferns

F

1

Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office (808) 792-9400

No common name

Pteris lidgatei

1

144

Propagate and maintain genetic stock of each fern taxon ex situ

Ongoing Not Current

Prior to FY 1995

Other

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services Division, Botanical Gardens, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, U.S. Department of Defense, Private landowners

While spores of all four species are in ex situ storage, none have been germinated and successfully grown into reproductive sporphytes.

Final Recovery Plan for Four Species of Hawaiian Ferns

F

1

Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office (808) 792-9400

No common name

Pteris lidgatei

1

145

Protect areas from human disturbance

Ongoing Not Current

FY 1995 - FY 1999

Other

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services Division, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, U.S. Department of Defense, Private landowners

Management: Habitat Maintenance and Manipulation

Volunteer, Graduate Student, Contract, Internal Field Assistance

The Army is the major risk of impact from human activities, and these have been addressed both through fire management plans and through standard operating procedures to minimize impacts while troops hike through Kawailoa and East Range.

Final Recovery Plan for Four Species of Hawaiian Ferns

F

1

Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office (808) 792-9400

No common name

Pteris lidgatei

1

146

Control all other identified threats

Obsolete

Other

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services Division, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, U.S. Department of Defense, Private landowners

This task has not been started because the methods of propagation are not yet developed to provide material for augmentation.

Final Recovery Plan for Four Species of Hawaiian Ferns

F

1

Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office (808) 792-9400

No common name

Pteris lidgatei

2

31

Collect diagnostic data on crucial associated ecosystem components

Ongoing Not Current

Prior to FY 1995

Other

Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division

Research: Habitat Status, Research: Habitat Requirements

Graduate Student, Contract, Internal Field Assistance

Critical habitat, and the suitable habitat from which critical habitat was derived, has been identified for all species in this recovery plan. Additional studies are needed to develop more precise microclimate needs for each species.

The current knowledge has been gathered mainly from incidental observations during field surveys and monitoring. More detailed experimental research is needed to fully understand these aspects of the species.

Final Recovery Plan for Four Species of Hawaiian Ferns

F

1

Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office (808) 792-9400

No common name

Pteris lidgatei

2

35

Determine effective control methods for feral animals and alien weed threats, as needed

Control of alien plants is an ongoing task that may be reduced to low maintenance and monitoring levels, but will never be completely eradicated, especially as new pest plant species are continually introduced to Hawaii and can become established in natural areas. Effective control methods are continually being developed by the Invasive Species Committees on each island and the results are applied to other natural areas. Control of feral animals is well understood and is being implemented in many areas for these species.

This task is ongoing, but has not been as frequent as it should be. The Army and the Oahu and Maui Nui genetic safety net coordinators will take on this task for all species but Ctenitis squamigera, which also needs to be monitored.